by Adriana Peck
Heart of Valor
A Small-Town Bad Boy Romance (Reeves Brothers Book 1)
Adriana Peck
Copyright © 2020 Adriana Peck
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Likewise, any models depicted on the cover of this book do not represent any of the characters inside. Any similarities to any person, living or dead, are purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
ISBN-13: 9781234567890
ISBN-10: 1477123456
Cover design by: Adriana Peck
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309
Printed in the United States of America
Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Foreword
Title Page
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Epilogue
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Foreword
He’s the bad boy with a fake proposal. But his plan is more than real...
Everybody’s warned me to stay away. That Jake Reeves spells bad news. I remember the fights he used to get into back in the high school’s parking lot, I’m no stranger to the rumor mill around town.
But when Jake rolls back into Twin Orchards straight out of two tours in Afghanistan, I can’t help but notice he’s almost an entirely different person. Like he’s changed.
He’s funny now. Charming, even. And I can’t take my eyes off him. He’s got those deep brown eyes you just want to fall into. And those muscles hardened from years of physical labor make it hard not to stare.
But the whole town’s hesitant to trust him the same way I do. They’re more than eager to dish out judgement on both Jake and I, throwing us into a terrible net of rumors that eats away at our lives.
But Jake has a plan, a way to get us out of here for good.
And it all starts with a fake proposal.
This agreement is just one big gamble, and Jake and I would be playing for keeps.
But I know the devil is in the details.
And that there is no honor among thieves.
"Heart of Valor" is a 70k length novel with tons of small-town banter, plenty of steam, and a heart-pounding finale that'll keep you reading until the very last page! No abuse, no cheating, and a guaranteed Happily Ever After! Although this book is the first in its series, it can be read as a standalone.
Heart of Valor
Adriana Peck
One
Nancy
In the weeks just before the first days of fall, when the back-to-school mania gets into full-swing and the leaves are just on the verge of changing their colors for good, an unexpected visitor walks through the front door of Nora’s Café.
I’m behind the counter, pouring a fresh cup of joe into the local mechanic’s mug as the bell above the door jingles and the man steps inside. He wears a baggy grey hoodie with a logo on it I can’t quite make out, but a hint of familiarity flashes across the forefront of my mind. His hood is up, I can’t see his face, and his head is hung low as he seats himself at a booth at the far end of the café. I look back at the mechanic on his lunch break, Paul, who just shrugs up at me wordlessly. Outside, the afternoon is peaceful, perfectly blue skies with only a few sparse clouds dotting the scenery, and I don’t want this perfect day to end anytime soon.
“Hey, might just be a tourist,” the old man says under his breath, scratching the underside of his bushy white beard. His hands are stained with oil, as is his mechanic’s uniform, and I have to hold back my desire to ask him when was the last time he’d washed his hands. Paul’s worked on cars here in Twin Orchards for forty years; I’m not going to be the first person to finally try and tell him how to do his job.
I glance over at the stranger, seated at the booth near the restrooms. His back is to me, I can’t quite make out his face. I’ll have to swing over there eventually, take his order, and I brace myself for the inevitable. Talking to strangers isn’t my strong suit, really.
“We don’t get a lot of those nowadays,” I say, looking back at Paul. “Tourists.”
“Twin Orchards used to be one heck of a visitor hotspot back in the fall. And the HalloweenFest your boss puts on always does some good. Maybe we’re finally getting that old mojo back,” Paul says before taking a quiet sip of his coffee.
“That coffee black enough for you?”
“Honey, I’d drink motor oil before putting in any cream and sugar,” Paul chuckles.
“I’ll be right back with your sandwich, then.”
I spare another glance over at the stranger sitting behind the booth. Something twinges inside me: I know that guy. I can’t explain how, but I know I do. His head is still hung low, something the patrons at Nora’s Café usually don’t do. Everyone here in town leaves the attitude at the door, and I feel something else twinge inside me as I head back to the kitchen window.
“Hey, Don, almost finished with Paul’s order?”
The kitchen is cramped, steam emanates from an oven obscured by stainless-steel shelves and counters. Don pokes his head out from behind a shelf, his hairnet lopsided as he scratches his five o’clock shadow with an elbow. Somehow.
“Ready in five,” he calls back to me.
I nod, turning around to inspect the rest of the café.
The old joint used to be a truck stop back in the fifties. Ever since that Nigel Knoxley bought the place and gave it to his wife ten years ago, it’s been a hotspot here in Twin Orchards. Nora painted the walls a warm and inviting red, gold-yellow trim with subtle floral patterns stretched across the length of the restaurant. Red-and-white booths sit alongside the length of the wall, a semicircular countertop separating the hostess from the customers sitting along the length of the bar.
I pop back over to Paul, who’s still sipping his coffee like his life depended on it. As far as I know, he’s the one in charge of his lunch breaks, so I don’t see why he’s in such a hurry all of a sudden.
“Everything okay over here?”
“That Don say he’s got my lunch ready yet?”
“Five minutes. Sorry, Paul. As you can see, we’re slammed.”
I wave a hand around me, cracking a grin as my gaze never leaves the old mechanic. He laughs, setting down his mug as he nods back over to the stranger in the corner.
“You better check in on our new guest, then,” he says, nodding at the booth near the restrooms. His eyes widen as he grins up at me. “Then my sandwich.”
I chuckle, accepting the inevitable.
“Be right back,” I rap on the counter as I walk the length of the bar, stepping out from behind the counter. I reach into my white apron, pull out a pad of paper an
d a pen from the front pocket as I approach the stranger’s booth.
The visitor, who I can tell is probably around my age, hunkers over the table. He can’t be that much older than me, I'd wager. Probably closer to my age, but it’s not anybody I can recognize from my graduating class. He’s lowered his hood by now, I can see a mess of sandy-brown hair atop his head. Still can’t get a good look at his face. I figure it’s now or never, and I put on a smile as I get ready to break the ice with a total stranger.
“Hi,” I say cheerily. “I’m Nancy, I’ll be the one taking care of you today. Get’cha anything to start with? Coffee? Water?”
The stranger looks up at me, and I nearly gasp in my surprise.
His face is rugged, five o’clock shadow covering a massive scar on his chin that I’ve seen before. His eyes are a piercing shade of brown that matches the scruff of hair atop his head. He’s as handsome as he was back in high school, as crazy as that sounds, and I know I’d recognize that face anywhere. Despite it having been a few years since high school, time has a way of catching up to all of us.
Jake Reeves.
He was a few years ahead of me at Twin Orchards High, I’d never guess I’d see him around these parts again. He joined the military right out of high school, something a lot of guys like him take refuge in after they’re thrust out into the world.
And, yeah, I’d wager Jake is still cute. I can’t lie about that.
But he was a troublemaker, to put it lightly.
I remember he started fights. A lot. Out in the parking lot, before the morning bell would ring, I could always see a ring of people gathered around two scuffling masses. Even if Jake wasn’t one of the two figures in the ring, he sure as hell started the overall conflict in some way or another. Everybody at school kept away from him, and for good measure.
You didn’t want to end up on his bad side.
I don’t know if things are the same anymore, but I can’t help but remember his old reputation. Just like I’m sure he’s forgotten my nonexistent presence in his life entirely.
“Just coffee, thanks,” Jake says.
I pause, staring at the stranger, my mouth agape as I put the pad of paper back in my apron pocket. I don’t want to make things awkward, but I can’t resist it any longer.
“Jake? Jake Reeves?”
Jake nods, looking me up and down. His gaze settles on my name-tag, and I see his eyes widen.
There’s no way. No way at all he recognizes me.
“Nancy…Callahan?” his eyes light up, and he cracks a grin that makes me want to stick around.
I laugh, grinning from ear to ear as I return his smile. “You remember me?”
“Of course I do. Who wouldn’t remember a face as pretty as yours?”
I feel my cheeks redden slightly. Jake and I never spoke in high school—well, that’s a bit of a lie. Everyone knows everyone in a town as small as Twin Orchards. Our parents probably knew each other, even if it never came up in passing. We knew each other’s names, probably spoke once or twice in the halls between classes. Like I said, he was a few years above me, but that doesn’t stop the talk in a small town. I know Jake had his fair share of girlfriends in high school. I had a couple boyfriends which I’m sure Jake knew about, too. But things change. Relationships go sour, people graduate high school. Some go into the military, some stick around.
I haven’t seen this guy in years and he’s already hitting on me.
I guess it’s true: some things never change.
Our eyes lock, and Jake shoots me a wink as my knees shake ever so slightly.
“I’ll be right back with that coffee, then.”
Two
Jake
I can’t believe it’s her. Here, practically running this joint. I’ve been back for, what, all of five minutes, and I run into Nancy Callahan of all people. Ran into her before anyone else. What are the odds of that? I haven’t been to see my brother Chance yet, Mom and Dad don’t really leave the house too often from what I’ve gathered. Still, I’d always imagined seeing my family first after my tours overseas. Nancy Callahan was the last person I’d expect to run into upon returning home, but I wouldn’t consider it a bad thing.
Not by a long shot.
We didn’t really talk back in high school, but I think it’s hilarious that the first thing that happens to me back home is running into a familiar face. After my tours, I’m exhausted beyond belief, I don’t really want to play the social game. But Nancy’s proving me to be a bit of fun already, and I’m starting to think that things might’ve changed around here for the better.
Nancy comes back with my coffee, setting it down gingerly in front of me. The mug steams, and I lift the handle up as I give her a look up and down.
She’s slender, her body still the perfect amount of curvy in just the right places. Her golden-blonde hair drapes over her shoulders, ruby-red lipstick putting the whole getup together. She’s cute, I’ll give her that. I’d still take a pass at her if she’d be receptive, play along with me. And I want to see just how loose she’s gotten over the years; I remember her being uptight, stuck-up, too good for anything back in high school.
“So, I guess you stuck around, then?” I ask before taking my first sip of the hot coffee.
“Yeah, I did. Guess you didn’t.”
I shake my head, setting the mug back down. “Went into the Marines. Just finished two tours of duty overseas. But now I’m done. Thought I’d come back home before I did anything else with my life.”
Nancy raises her eyebrows in surprise, but I expect she’d known about that all along. Word travels fast in a small town, much to my chagrin. There’s probably worse things she’s heard about me already.
“Where’d the Marines send you?” she asks.
“Afghanistan.”
She nods, nothing else to say on the matter. I figure she doesn’t want to talk politics, which is more than okay with me.
“So, what about you?” I ask, grinning up at her. “It’s been a while.”
“I guess it has,” Nancy says. “But I don’t remember us being that close back in high school, if you’ll forgive me for saying that. Not to be rude or anything.”
I shrug. “Nah, I remember. You kept your distance. Rightly so,” I chuckle.
Nancy smiles, giggling carefully. “You were bad news back then,” she says, her voice lowering.
I grin, taking another drink of coffee as the mug cools. “Sure was.”
She purses her lips, tapping a foot as she looks around the café. It’s just us, whoever’s in the kitchen, and some old bearded guy in a mechanic’s getup sitting at the counter. He’s been watching us intently ever since Nancy came over to bring me my coffee, and it’s getting a little weird now. He pauses to drink his coffee, scratching his beard every few minutes.
I glance back up at Nancy, who looks nervously down at me as a hint of a smile creeps across her face.
“Are you still trouble?” Nancy asks me, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
Now’s my chance.
I take another sip of coffee, cool and casual.
“Beats me, sweetheart. Wanna find out?”
Nancy covers her mouth with her hand, covering a smiling gasp. She laughs behind her hand, her emerald-green eyes lighting up. I can’t take my eyes off of her.
Another customer walks into the café, the bell above the door chiming as a skinny-looking dude walks in and sits at the counter a few seats from that old mechanic. Nancy watches them come in, glances back at me.
“I’ll be right back for that order,” she says. I watch her as she walks back behind the counter, takes the skinny guy’s order. She brings him a cup of coffee, checks in with the old guy. She ducks back over to the kitchen, grabs a plate from the counter window as she sets a sandwich in front of the old mechanic. Nancy and the old guy chat for a while, and she turns around and glances at me.
I catch her glance, and I see her face redden again as she snaps her head back around to talk to
the mechanic.
I should’ve done something. Waved at her, something like that. Could’ve flustered her even more, and I like that look on her.
And speaking of—
Nancy’s hot. Shame on me to call her cute, because that’s doing her body a terrible disservice. Seriously, how did I not notice that back in high school?
Maybe she was a bit too stuck-up for a guy like me. Always starting trouble. Always in hot water.
But maybe things are different now. I’m still me, I’m still Jake Reeves. I just don’t know how far that’ll get me, I don’t know if it’ll land me in trouble like it used to.
Nancy takes another glance at me, and I wave at her as she does so. She blushes, turning back to the mechanic and rapping on the counter before walking over to my booth.
“So, thought about what you wanted?” she asks me, her massive grin returning as she bounces on her heels.
I chuckle, staring up at her stupidly. “Huh?”
“To eat,” Nancy grins. “Off the menu.”
“Right,” I say, looking down at the table. There’s a menu printed on the underside of the table, surrounded by local ad spaces. Real estate, amusement parks on the highway, rest stops. “Think I’ll just stick with coffee, thanks.”
Nancy smiles down at me and rests her hands on her hips. A smile warps across her face, and I can tell she wants to stick around for a minute if I can make good conversation.
“So, what are your plans now that you’re back in town?” she asks.
I shrug. “Probably going to poke around, stick my nose in places where it doesn’t belong. Stir up trouble again.”
Nancy giggles.
“No, seriously,” she stutters nervously. I can tell she’s getting flustered, and it’s turning me on all that much more. “What are your plans? It’s cool, seeing you back here, most of us over at the counter thought you’d left for good. At least, I think it’s cool.”